15. Hermione's spell

Scabior was surprised about Astoria's letter and wanted to show it to Jade but the witch had locked herself in her room reading every word Petunia has written. Scabior had not chance to get in touch with her and decided to trust Astoria. Jade had cared for the girl before and to upset Jade wasn't wise.

The snatcher was invited to meet Astoria away from the market. An old abandoned church was their meeting place. During the Witch Trails this had been their court and never been used again. No muggle in Salem ever wanted to get close to witches again. They didn't trust them and hated them. Every book and fairytales about magic was forbidden in this town and Hermione felt sorry for the muggles and witches in Salem. She hid in the room of the priest and held a gobstone and her wand ready to bewitch Scabior.

When he walked through the door he didn't see anyone but Astoria and grinned at her when he walked closer. "What a surprise... and why do you want to see me?"

"I... I have to know the truth" Astoria used her own wand to freeze Scabior and gave Hermione time to leave her hiding place. "We need your soul but we will give it back when we are sure"

"Do you want to go to town?" Ron sat next to Draco who watched his stone. He was surprised by Ron's words and didn't answer right away. It took a moment before his confusion lifted and brought a smile to his face. "We have to give them back and..."

"Yes, this is our last chance to go out again. We only have until tonight" Ron stood up and took Draco's hand. He wanted to use this chance and clear his head before the next weeks were all about their final exams.

"I... I thought about England and... Ron, when this is over... We go back, won't we? Take jobs in the magical world and..." Draco followed Ron to the front gate and both gave their gobstones before heading out of the witch house museum and into the muggle town.

"I think it's saver if we stay a few years away from home... just to be sure no one starts looking for you"

"What did they do?"

A group of boys had seen Scabior following two girls inside the abandoned church. Their leader went to the window and the rest of the boys followed him. They saw the girls holding wooden sticks and the man fell backwards to the ground.

Looking at each other their eyes snapped back to the church and the girls when a flash of golden light filled the hall inside. "Witches" All four of them were thinking the same and started running.

"Okay, I think the spell worked. Now I own a part of his soul... this feels wrong and too powerful" Hermione didn't feel well but didn't put her stone away. It was a power in her hand with a golden shine. She took a deep breath before she looked to Astoria. "What should I make him do?"

"I don't know... maybe we start with something small like... tell him to give you his wand. We won't attack us if he doesn't have it anymore" Astoria could take the wand easily away from Scabior but instead she watched Hermione ordering Scabior to do it. His eyes opened and he did as he was asked too.

"This was simple... okay, we want to know if it controls minds and heart, so... Scabior, kiss Astoria" Hermione watched Scabior getting up while the young witch looked disgusted and pointed her wand at the snatcher. "NO! Don't tell him that! I won't kiss him!"

"We don't find out how it works if we don't test it"

"Tell him to kiss you!" Astoria walked backwards away from Scabior who was coming closer to her. She heard Hermione sighed and felt relief when Scabior turned around to the witch with the gobstone of his soul. "Okay... kiss me..."

Both girls watched Scabior walking towards Hermione and pulled her close to kiss her. The small gobstone fell to the ground but didn't break. Its shine was brighter than before and Astoria picked it up with a grin on her face. "It looks like it worked... oh... Hermione?..." A headache hit her like the sharpe end of a knife. Astoria felt a pain in every bone and sank to the floor.

When Scabior did the same in Hermione's arms she knew something went wrong. "Astoria!"

Draco and Ron saw many muggles running around. They were all heading to the market place and voice were shouting. A police car stopped in front of the witch house museum and two police men with guns dragged everybody outside.

"What is going on?" Ron still held Draco's hand and pulled his boyfriend closer. Whatever was happening they won't be separated. Following the main group they walked closer to the market. The muggle major and more police men were speaking to the citizens of Salem and the two wizards heard their warnings.

"The witches are back in Salem"

"We should go back" Draco whispered and Ron knew his friend would start crying if this town started a war on witches like it had happened centuries ago. One of their classmates must have casted a spell and a muggle or a group of them had seen it.

"Draco, look" The group of boys who had laughed about them leaving the witch house together was interviewed by someone with a microphone. Ron wanted to run back to the school but first they had to be out of sight or they risked to cause attention on them. Against his instinct Ron walked closer to the group of boys and tried to listen to them.

"We saw them going in the abandoned church"

"There was this light and a man was... he was dead. The girls, the witches... They killed him!"

"Let us go" Draco whispered again and pulled on Ron's arm. The short blonde looked back over his shoulder and saw a police car. "Oh no... they blocked the way"

"We go to the church" Ron whispered too and told Draco to walk slowly. They had to leave the muggles and once they were two corners away they finally started running. The church wasn't far away and the door wasn't locked. Every muggle could walk in but the only people inside where Hermione and an unconcious Astoria and Scabior.

"Hermione! What happened? Some boys have seen you used magic and now the whole town is scared" Ron let go of Draco and rushed to Hermione's side. She was shaking and cried over Scabior's body. "I don't know what went wrong. I did everything the book said and... I can't wake them up"

"They saw you... what if they come back?" Draco touched Astoria's wrist and took her pulse. "She is still alive. Can we bring her back to school?"

"We have to" Ron picked up Scabior and carried him on his shoulders. Draco carried Astoria while Hermione made sure the way was clear.